Valve-spring retainer.



n. L. BROWN. v VALVE SPRING RETAINER. APPLICATION FILED MAR- 25, 19l5.

m/mv r02 Dazzza'l. Brad/z.

. A TTOR/VEYS Patented July 18, 1916.

Rrus rznzns 004. Imam-Luna. wAsmNc mm. c.

DAVID L. BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VALVE-SPRING RETAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1916.

Application filed March 25, 1915. Serial N0.'16,998.

T 0 all '10 kom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID L. BROWN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York,borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have inventeda new and Improved ValveSpring Retainer, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to spring-pressed valves of internal combustionengines and other engines, and its object is to provide a new andimproved valve spring retainer arranged to permit of conveniently andquickly disconnecting the spring from the valve to allow regrinding ofthe valve in its seat or removal thereof for repairs or other purposes,and to hold the spring confined in compressed condition for convenientlyreplacing it on the valve after the repairs have been made.

In order to accomplish the desired result use is made of a support,preferably inthe form of a casing, adapted to inclose the valve. spring,the support being provided at one end with a seat for one end of thevalve spring to rest on, and a retaining means in the other end of thesaid support for supporting the other end of the valve spring at thetime the valve spring is compressed to allow removal of the usual valvestem retaining means on which bears the valve spring to normally holdthe valve to its seat.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying draw ing forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the valve spring retainer asapplied to a puppet valve of an internal combustion engine; Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the same and showing the retaining key inserted to holdth valve spring in compressed condition on' the support; Fig. 3 is aside elevation with parts in section of the valve spring retainer afterits removal from the valve and with the valve spring held compressedtherein; Fig. fl: is a plan view of the same; Fig. 5 is an invertedsectional plan view of the same on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

bustion engine or other engine is normall the products of combustionaccording towhether the valve is used as an admission valve or as anexhaust valve.

The construction so far described is of the type now generally used oninternal combustion engines for automobiles and like power drivenvehicles.

The valve spring retainer is constructed as follows: A support H in theform of a cylindrical casing incloses the spring C and the cup or washerD, and the upper end of the support H is provided with an inwardlyextending flange H on which rests the up per end of the spring C. Thetop of the flange H rests on the bearing F for the valve stem F and thelower end of the support H is provided on opposite sides with key slotsH for the insertion of a key 1, preferably made U shape, as plainlyindicated in Figs. 5 and 6. The lower end of the support H is alsoprovided with cutout portions H in alinement with the valve stem key Eto allow of inserting or removing said key, as hereinafter more fullyexplained. The support H is so arranged that the key slots H are abovethe lower end of the spring C and the cup D at the time the valve A isseated on its seat B, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to regrind the valve A or remove the same for repairsor other purposes it is necessary to remove the spring C and for thispurpose the operator returns the crank shaft of the engine a sufficientdistance to cause the lifting means G to raise the stem F and with itthe valve A until the under side of the cup D is above the slots H andthen the key I is inserted on the said slots H as indicated in Fig. 2.The operator now further turns the engine shaft to lower the liftingmeans G whereby the spring C forces the cup or washer D onto the key Ithus preventing further downward movement of the cup D but allowing thevalve stem F to slide freely downward. When the valve is in lowermostposition the key E is removed from the stem F and then the valve isremoved and finally the support H with the spring C held compressedtherein is removed and set aside, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be noticedthat the valve A and its stem F are now completely free /'of the springand therefore the valve when replaced can be ground in its seat, or whenremoved can be repaired. After the grinding or repairing has beenaccomplished and the valve is again in position then the casing H withthe spring C held compressed therein is replaced and the key E isreinserted in the stem F and then the operator again turns the engineshaft to cause the lifting means G to raise the stem F so that the key Eengages the under side of the cup or washer D and lifts the same off theretaining key I.

Then the cup D reaches this position the retaining key I is withdrawnand the valve is new again in position for closing and opening by theaction of the lifting means G and its spring C. It will be noticed thatby the arrangement described the spring C is compressed within thesupport H and is locked therein while being in a compressed state, andthe support with the spring therein can be removed and set aside untilthe desired repairs have been made. it is understood that the support Hforms a part of the valve fixture and no special tools or the like arerequired excepting the key I when removing the spring from the valve orreplacing the same. 7

The valve spring retainer shown and described is very'simple and durablein construction and can be readily applied to the spring-pressed valvenow generally used on internal combustion engines and other engines. Itis understood that the spring C of each valve A of an internalcombustion engine such as used on automobiles is usually located in aninaccessible place and hence such springs are very diflicult to removewhenever it is desired to regrind the valve A or remove it fro-m theengine. With the retainer shown and described the spring can be veryeasily removed and replaced after the repairs have been made.

It is distinctly understood that for a sixcylinder engine, for instance,having six admission and six exhaust valves, twelve retaining devicesare used, one for each individual valve of which it forms a permanentpart. It will also be understood that other vided at one end with a seatfor one end of the valve spring to rest on, the other end of the casingbeing provided with a key slot, and a retaining key insertible into thesaid key slot at the time the valve spring is compressed and its otherend is beyond the said key slot to allow this end of the spring to beseated on the said retaining key.

2. A valve spring retainer, comprising a casing inclosing the valvespring and pro vided at one end with a seat for one end of the valvespring to rest on, the other end of the casing being provided withdiametrically opposite key slots and with cut-out portions for theinsertion or removal of the valve stem key, and a U-shaped retaining keyinsertible in the said key slots and projecting into the path of theother end of the valve spring at the time the latter is compressed toallow this end of the valve spring to seat itself on the retaining keyto support the compressed valve spring within the casing.

3. A valve spring retainer comprising acasing entirely inclosing thevalve spring and provided at one end with a seat for one end of thespring to rest on, a key slot adjacent the other end of the casing, anda key adapted to engage the slot and support the inclosed spring whilein its compressed state.

4. A valve spring retainer comprising a suitable casing permanentlyinclosing the spring, held in position on the engine cylinder by thepressure 'of one end of the spring on an annular bearing in one end ofthe casing, and having a removable key engaging slots in the other endof the casing and also on gaging the other end of the compresser spring,for the purpose of locking the spring in its compressed state within thecasing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID L. BROlVN.

l/Vitnesses THEO. G. Hos'rnn, GEORGE H. EMSLIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

